From the Center: Pilc Moutin Hoenig–Schoenberg Hall–March 6, 2015

The incredible musicians we are about to enjoy tonight began their day with a special performance and discussion for 500 Los Angeles middle- and high-school aged students as part of the Center’s Design for Sharing arts-education program.

It’s fitting that part of this trio’s current tour along California’s coast includes a shared moment with a young audience. Each member of this nearly perfect trio is a master player. And each member is also an educator—imparting the real world knowledge of what it takes to be a successful musician (both technically and practically) onto the next generation of jazz players.

By leading ensemble workshops as a group, holding classes on harmony and interpretation as well as taking part in individual tutorials (such as Hoenig’s amazing work with melodic drumming), all while maintaining a rigorous tour schedule and leading their own bands and endeavors—Pilc Moutin Hoenig are the embodiment of what it means to be part of today’s vital jazz community. They are truly ambassadors of the form, sharing an improvisational spirit and exceptional talent with avid learners, with one another, and thankfully, with we eager listeners.

Tonight these three master players take the stage with no set lists, no arrangements, no rules and no expectations other than transportive excellence and a pure love of playing together, about which Pilc once told the Ottowa Citizen:

“When I started playing with those guys, from the first moment you feel like you are not on the planet Earth anymore. You feel like suddenly you are carried to another place, and in that other place you do not exist anymore as a human being. Music takes over. Music takes you, Music takes the other guys, Francois and Ari, and does with you what it wants. And the only thing you have to do is obey, obey the music. That to me is an exceptional experience because it doesn’t happen that often. But with those guys, I have to say it happens pretty much every time we play together. Which to me is still quite a thing.”

It is indeed quite a thing to let music take you over. We’re glad you’re here to be part of it with us tonight.